It's About Us
by Truebie
Summary: Inspired by Ginnygate 2.0. Snow finds out about Emma and Regina's relationship and confrontation ensues. My take on Snow's view of Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Something good came out of yesterday's Ginnygate sequel, after all - my muse turned it into a story. Here's my take on Snow's view of Swan Queen. Reviews are very welcome!_

* * *

The moment Emma walks into the apartment and locks her eyes on her mother, she can see something's wrong. Snow's jaw is set, her eyes hard and unrelenting, her hand clenching a mug of coffee. There's something about the way she stands behind the kitchen island that screams warning signs and Emma's pretty sure she's never seen her like this.

"Sit," Snow says in a stern voice.

Emma doesn't move, but cocks her head to the side, her eyebrows meeting above her nose. She hasn't moved since she came in, her hand still resting on the doorknob.

"Sit."

"Okaaay," Emma says as she slowly inches to one of the stools beside the kitchen island, watching Snow with a mix of confusion and concern in her eyes.

Snow takes a moment to run her eyes over her daughter's face until she settles on the worried green eyes. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Emma?"

"Um," Emma starts, trying to figure out what her mother is getting at. She can't think of a single thing that Snow doesn't know, especially one that could cause her to behave this way. Except for one.

_It' can't be_, the blonde thinks, feeling a panic attack coming on. "No?"

A smile tugs at Snow's lips, a condescending one; it never reaches her eyes. "Do you really take me for a fool?" Her voice is still steady and sure, but there are little bits of emotion coming through, as well.

"What are you talking about?" Emma's voice rises involuntarily and she curses inwardly.

"Regina."

It's a simple word, one uttered in the plainest of ways, but one that carries so much weight. The look in Snow's eyes is both victorious and angry. Her posture is regal and Emma thinks she looks like a perfect combination of a queen and a mother. The blonde can feel her hands start to shake and she quickly folds them on the kitchen island top, hoping her mother won't notice how nervous she is all of a sudden.

She isn't delusional – she knew this would get out eventually. It's actually pretty amazing that she managed to keep her relationship with Regina a secret this long. The only person who's known almost from the beginning is Ruby, thanks to both her nosy nature and her intuition. However, she promised not to tell anyone and Emma believes she didn't. Besides, God knows who could have seen the Sheriff exit Regina's house at all times of night and early morning these past – _God, has it been that long?_

"What about Regina?" Emma asks, hoping to buy some more time.

A chuckle escapes Snow, but it's not cute; it's ominous and Emma can feel her skin crawl at the sight of it.

"Oh, I don't know," Snow says mockingly. "How about my daughter _dating _the woman who _destroyed_ our lives?" The brunette is seething by the end of the sentence, trying hard to regain her composure.

"Wow, slow down," Emma raises her hands in a poor attempt to calm her mother down.

"Slow down? _Slow down?!_" Snow closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, steadying herself.

The moment Emma opens her mouth, her mother jumps in. "Don't _even_ think about denying it."

Her voice is charged with hostile energy and it's enough to momentarily shut Emma up. The Sheriff looks at her mother in a resigned way, trying to think of a strategy when it comes to dealing with this, but there isn't one, at least not one she can think of in a matter of minutes. She takes a moment to look back at all those times Regina pushed this very subject, but Emma shrugged it off every time. It was easy to say it was her life and that she was a grown woman when it was Regina she was telling these things to. Now, however, she can't seem to get into the whole grown up persona.

"I'm not – I'm not denying it."

Snow's jaw clenches. It's almost as if she was hoping against all hope that it wasn't true, that, somehow, it was a misunderstanding. A mask of utter disappointment settles on her face.

"What the hell are you doing, Emma?" she almost whispers, as she lets her head fall to her chest. "Don't you know what –"

"Yes, _of course_ I know what she did to you!" Emma exclaims, feeling her own anger spread through her whole being.

"To _me_?" Snows eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. "How about what she did to _you_, Emma?" She clenches her fists and takes a deep breath before locking her eyes with her daughter's. "You grew up all alone, without a family because of her! What is _wrong_ with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Emma slams her palm on the counter top. "I don't know, how about the whole 'you can't choose who you fall in love with' thing? You should know better than anyone."

The Sheriff knows she's crossing the line here, but she can't help it. She's known all along that this day would come, that she would have to defend herself to her mother and not just her, but everyone. Because everyone in this damned town has been wronged by Regina in one way or the other. And here she is, their Savior, shacking up with the Evil Queen.

"_Love_?" Snow can't help the disgusted look that shows in her features. "Love? You think this is love? Tell me, how long has this been going on?"

Emma swallows hard. She knows she has to tell the truth, but she also knows it will probably hurt her mother more than anything else.

"How long, Emma?"

"Eight months," Emma says, resignation written all over her face.

She flinches when Snow drops the mug and it shatters upon impact with the tiled floor. For a moment, she thinks her mother might actually pass out. She watches as Snow does her best to collect herself, puts her hands on the counter top and leans forward. Emma can't help but shift backwards.

"Are you serious?" Snow hisses through her teeth.

Emma nods, unable to find her voice.

"You are out of your mind," the brunette flips her hands in the air.

Emma doesn't say anything because she knows there's more to come.

"And when were you planning to tell me?"

The blonde simply shrugs, feeling stupid almost immediately after.

"Oh, well _that's_ very mature, Emma. Really, that's just – that's gold."

"What was I supposed to do? Just tell you over breakfast?" Emma's voice betrays how ridiculous she finds the whole situation.

"You were supposed to _not do it_ in the first place," Snow grounds through her teeth.

Emma sighs and closes her eyes before standing up. "You know what? I'm not doing this with you now." She's half way to the door when the other woman's voice stops her in her tracks.

"I'm not done with you. You will sit back down or-"

"Or, _what_?" Emma turns around, her arms spread wide. "You'll lock me in my room?" she mocks.

"I'm your _mother_, Emma!" Snow doesn't even bother to keep her voice down anymore.

"Oh, yeah? _Now_ you're my mother," Emma can't help but infuse her voice with years of hurt, abandonment and frustration. "Where were you when I actually needed one?"

She can see the way Snow flinches at her words, as if she's been physically slapped. The brunette's eyes fill with tears and Emma knows she's just crossed another line. She can't help it though. Sure, it's nice to have a family and people who care for her, but that doesn't erase a lifetime of being alone, that doesn't erase all the nights she cried herself to sleep and it sure as hell doesn't erase knowing her parents let her go.

"And why is that?" Snow says in a shaky voice. "No, don't answer that, allow me. It's because of the very woman you claim to love."

"I don't _claim_ to love her," Emma stands her ground. "I _do_ love her."

"How can you say that?" the brunette all but cries out.

Emma sighs. She's pretty sure she won't get her mother to understand and that this is going nowhere, but she still has the urge to prove her point, to express what she feels. With Snow on the other side, however, it's bound to fall on deaf ears.

"She separated us. She _cursed_ us, Emma."

"You had a choice!" Emma's voice booms and her face grows red. "You had a choice and you made it and you're just gonna have to live with it!" She doesn't stop when she sees her mother's mouth fall open. "You could have decided to keep us all together, but you shoved me in a wardrobe and sent me to another world!"

"I _had_ no choice, Emma! If we stayed together, the curse would never break and you'd be a baby forever! Don't you see that?"

"The only thing I see is that we would have been together and you can't argue with that," Emma says in a calm, steady voice. She knows the brunette sees her point, even if she's not willing to voice it.

"That still doesn't take away from the fact that you're in a relationship with an evil woman who did her best to destroy the happiness of all the people in this town. I just – I just don't understand, Emma." Tears are now rolling freely down Snow's cheeks.

"She's not evil," Emma says as she holds up her hand to stop her mother from jumping in. "She's _not_. She's changed and I see her for who she really is. We share a son and we love each other. It's as simple as that."

"It's not simple! God, Emma-" Snow stops at the sound of a knock on the door.

She hardens her gaze on Emma and schools her features, her posture returning to one of a queen.

"Come in," she says in a neutral voice.

Emma turns around just in time to see Regina walk in.

* * *

_A/N: I know this was a short chapter, but I needed it to serve as an intro to the real deal that happens in chapter 2. No worries, I definitely plan on touching the incest thing in the next chapter._


	2. Chapter 2

**Trigger warning:** _there's a fleeting, semi-graphic mention of rape in one paragraph. It's short, only two sentences, but it's there so I'm letting you know._

_A/N: Okay, here's chapter 2, guys. I appreciate all the reviews and follows and I hope you like the chapter. :)_

* * *

As she stands in the middle of the apartment, part of an awkward triangle consisting of Snow, Emma and herself, Regina can't help but find the scene at least somewhat amusing. Out of all the things she'd ever dared to imagine, having to explain her relationship with Emma to Snow never even crossed her mind. Explaining herself to Snow _in general_ had never been an option , not to mention falling in love with Emma.

Love.

Such a small word and yet one with so many dimensions and nuances to it, so much weight that comes along. Who would have thought that the Evil Queen would ever fall in love, and with the Savior herself, no less. The very woman whose sole purpose was to destroy her and yet here they are, defending their love like a couple of lovesick teenagers.

It's funny how easily Regina is able to read Snow's body language. Yes, the younger woman is standing with her back ramrod straight, her head held high, her face one big mask of defiance. The former Mayor knows what's behind it, though – the perpetual belief that she's right; the one thing that's always been at the forefront of all Snow's actions. However, Regina also knows that, deep inside, Snow is afraid and this is all just an act. Sure, she may be able to play the part of the queen for all the Storybrooke townsfolk and get away with it, but not with her former stepmother. No, Regina can see the way the younger woman's fists are clenched and the way her jaw twitches in time with her heartbeat. She's brave, though, Regina has to give her that much, even if she doesn't really want to. It definitely took a lot to call this particular meeting.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asks and Regina sets her eyes on the blonde for the first time since she came in. The Sheriff is obviously in distress, her face and eyes both with a rosy tint to them. Whether from crying or rage, Regina can't tell.

"Your mother called me."

_Oh, yes, it was a particularly interesting, if short, conversation. The former Mayor received a phone call this morning from 'Ms. Blanchard' who didn't bother with pleasantries, but chose to get to the point immediately._

"_Come to my apartment today at 5."_

_That definitely gave Regina pause. "Is there any particular reason I'm being summoned to your apartment?" She couldn't help but infuse her voice with just the right amount of condescension._

"_Yes, there is and you know damn well what it is." _

_Judging by Snow's tone, she definitely did know and she found herself exhaling, both in relief and preparation for what was to come that afternoon. "Very well. I'll be there."_

_With that, she hung up. _

"You _what_?" Emma's eyebrows shoot up as she turns her head to look at her mother.

"It's okay, Emma," Regina jumps in and holds up her palm. "This is – this is good. We knew this would happen eventually."

Regina definitely knew this would happen and spent a good part of the last eight months thinking about this very moment. As much as she found herself annoyed at the thought of explaining herself to Snow, there was a part of her that just wanted to get it over with. She wanted to be done with it in order to move on, but Emma was always very vocal about her concerns regarding the matter. Regina didn't have it in her to fault her so she agreed to keep their relationship a secret.

"This is _good_?" Snow finally speaks, chuckling mockingly.

Regina levels her gaze on Snow's eyes, eyes full of fury and turmoil. "I understand how this might be-"

"Drop the act, okay?" the younger woman jumps in. "Are you really so hell-bent on destroying every ounce of my happiness, so much that you would do this?"

Regina's features immediately darken. "Are you really so self-centered that you can't fathom the slightest possibility that this might not be about you?"

She can see Emma from the corner of her eye, trying hard not to smile and it warms her heart. Her Savior, always so inappropriate.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snow says, putting her hand on her hip.

"It means just what it sounds like, dear. Believe it or not, this is not about you. It's about _us_," Regina looks at Emma to emphasize her point.

"Oh, really? Please," Snow raises her voice. "You know damned well this is about you and me and your revenge. I should have known it was too good to be true. You laying low for months, socializing with people, smiling and making friends. How could I have been so stupid?" she ends with looking up in exasperation.

Regina sees Emma open her mouth so she walks over to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Let her speak."

The blonde wants to protest, but backs down under her lover's unrelenting stare. Regina doesn't miss the way Snow zeroes in on their moment of closeness and understanding, not to mention the way she slides her hand down Emma's arm and holds her hand.

In all honesty, the former Queen can't fault Snow for not believing her being capable of change. After all, they spent a lifetime trying to hurt each other and Regina refused all chances of a truce Snow threw her way. The younger woman is wrong, however – Regina _has_ changed. The funniest part of it all being that it's all thanks to Emma.

No one has ever been patient with her the way the Savior has, no one ever bothered to ask about her feelings or her past experiences and no one was willing to listen to it all and still stay by her side. So, in honor of that revelation and that love, Regina chooses to let Snow finish.

"You will _not _get away with this! I will do everything in my power to stop you from destroying my daughter. This, I promise you." Snow is positively seething by the end of that sentence.

"I have no wish to destroy your daughter," Regina says as she takes a step forward.

She doesn't miss the flash of panic that appears in the younger woman's eyes before her gaze returns to the stone cold one she's had since the beginning of their confrontation. It would be so easy to just flick her wrist and…

"Oh, well you saying that makes it all better!" Snow mocks. "Tell me, how long were you planning to keep this a secret from everyone?"

"It was my idea," Emma chimes in. "_I_ wanted to keep it a secret."

"Don't defend her, Emma."

"I'm _not_. When it got serious, Regina wanted to go public, but I chickened out," Emma presses on and Regina can't help but revel in the feeling of someone standing up for her.

"She manipulated you," Snow says in a way that betrays she came to that realization just now.

Regina smirks. "I knew you were stubborn, but I must say I find myself surprised at how much you want it to be anything but what it truly is. Aren't you supposed to be all about love, Snow?" The smirk is still tugging at her lips and her voice is dripping with sarcasm.

"You know _nothing_ about love!" Snow booms and clenches her fists.

"And whose fault is that?" Regina says in a low, dangerous voice as she steps forward and finds herself deep inside of the younger woman's personal space.

She's positive her eyes are flashing with rage and maybe just a little purple for good measure. The magic inside her is becoming more potent by the second, filling her entire being and begging to be let out.

Snow stands her ground and looks at her defiantly. "You don't get to put this on me."

"Oh, that's right," Regina mocks. "One must never forget that Snow White can do no wrong."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know very well what it means."

"You're her _grandmother_, Regina!" Snow exclaims as she takes a step back, but the former Mayor doesn't miss the way she deflects from the topic.

"What?" Emma jumps in, her eyebrows shooting up.

"Excuse me?" Regina says almost at the same time.

Out of all the things Snow could have said, Regina must admit she didn't expect this one.

"She's my _stepmother_," Snow says looking at Emma over Regina's shoulder.

"You will stand there and claim you see me as your stepmother?" the former Mayor forces the other woman to focus on her again.

"I always have," comes the response, spoken in a matter-of-fact tone.

Regina falters for a moment, not expecting such honesty from Snow. Is it really possible that she still sees her like that? Sure, they lived together for some time, under a pretense of family life, but-

"Um, if I can just jump in here," Emma's voice comes from behind. "I'd just like to make it clear that I _definitely_ don't think of Regina as my grandmother," she finishes, disgust and shock mixing in her voice.

"You – you don't see me as your stepdaughter?" Snow's eyebrows scrunch in a display of honest confusion and Regina can't help but ask herself if the two of them ever lived in the same world, not to mention two of them.

They share a moment of silence, looking at each other, both more than confused with the turn this conversation has taken. Sure, Regina has always known that Snow has a somewhat special perception of the world that surrounds her, but this is rich even by her standards. The former Queen comes to a decision in a matter of seconds and takes a big breath, preparing herself for what's to come. She's more than grateful for the fact that Emma already knows everything there is to know about her – what she's about to do would be very ugly otherwise. Well, it will be ugly anyway, but it's obviously time to settle some very old scores.

"Tell me, Snow, how did I become your stepmother?" her voice is low and neutral.

"You married my father," the younger woman answers, looking just like Emma when she says 'duh'.

Regina licks her lips. "And how _did_ I marry your father?"

"What are you asking me?"

"I'm asking you how did my marriage to your father come to be," Regina says, her voice still very much neutral.

"If this is about Daniel-"

"_Don't_," Regina stops her, her voice immediately lowering to a growl. She doesn't miss the way Snow swallows. "Do you remember that day at my childhood home when you walked in on me trying on my wedding dress?"

"Yes, that's when you told me you were marrying my father instead of-"

"_Yes_," Regina jumps in just in time yet again. "You're not a _child_ anymore," she starts, making sure to put some obvious weight into that word that's been used as an excuse for as far as the former Queen can remember. "Considering that it was two days after – after what happened at the stables, do you think I was happy to marry your father? Do you think I wanted it?"

Snow flinches and takes a step back. "No – no I guess not."

Regina raises her eyebrow at the use of the word 'guess'.

"But you still married him and you still became my stepmother. I don't know what-" she stops once Regina invades her personal space again, this time definitely seeing her eyes glow purple.

Regina can feel her fingers tingle with magic and just as she's about to give in, she feels a hand on her forearm.

"Hey," Emma says, pulling her back and, after a couple of long seconds, she takes a deep breath and steps back.

"I'm fine, dear," she says as she turns to Emma.

"You don't – we don't have to do this now, you know. Let's go home."

"No," Regina shakes her head. "I don't think I'd be able to do this again."

"I'll do it now and let it rest once and for all," she finishes as she turns to face a wide-eyed Snow.

She's not really sure where she's pulling the strength she needs to do this from. Maybe from the image of a smiling Henry in her mind's eye or the soothing circles Emma's making with her hand on her back. She just knows she needs to finally get it out, get it all out and to the one person she's always protected when it came to it, the one person who never really knew the whole story. Or maybe she refused to. Either way, Regina has decided she's had enough of that perpetual urge to shield Snow, that urge that was present even when she was doing her best to destroy her.

She notices the way Snow swallows as she begins to explain what it meant for a girl like her to marry a man like Leopold. What it felt like to have it happen mere days after losing the man she truly loved, after watching him get killed. Knowing that, without Snow, maybe, just maybe, they would have made it. How does she explain the self-satisfied smirk on her mother's lips when she practically sold her to a man old enough to be her grandfather? Regina isn't sure, but she knows the words that are coming out of her mouth are definitely reaching Snow's ears by the way the other woman is visibly shrinking by the second.

Regina herself doesn't hear the words. It feels like an out of body experience. She's there, but not truly. Maybe it's her own defense mechanism. Whatever it is, it's working because she finds herself strong enough to keep going.

Her wedding day. The way she cried as that faithful 'yes' left her lips. Thankfully, the people gathered at the ceremony mistook her tears for tears of joy. He knew, however. He knew and he didn't care. He didn't care and he said 'yes' before kissing her, not even bothering to notice how she froze against him.

Yes, up until this day, Regina was adamant on keeping Leopold a good man, a good father in Snow's eyes. She didn't really know why. Maybe because the way she herself felt as a girl, with a father who was always there, but not really. He never stood up for her, he never protected her. Leopold, on the other hand, truly adored Snow and she couldn't bring herself to shatter that memory. Not when she was the one who killed him. Snow always thought she did it in order to hurt her because the whole world revolved around Snow, naturally. Regina never bothered to correct her in the matter, not when it worked so wonderfully in her revenge.

"No. _No_," Snow's shaky voice reaches her ears as the former Mayor touches the subject of her wedding night. She's shaking her head and stepping back, but Regina matches her step for step, following her as the words leave her mouth.

Leopold wasn't a good man. No, a good man wouldn't marry a teenager against her will. He wouldn't expect her to become a mother to another teenager. He wouldn't force himself on her on their wedding night. He would grunt a name that wasn't hers in her ear that night and so many nights after that one, with only the darkness of night and the castle walls to stand witness to it.

"No," the shaky voice tickles her ears again and Regina realizes that it's turned into a chant, a soft sound of one's dreams shattering into thousands of pieces.

Snow is now sitting on the sofa, tears running freely down her face. All three of them have obviously moved as Regina's story progressed and she finds that Emma's hand is still slowly circling her back.

"Tell me, Snow, with all this in mind, as well with the fact that it's been 40 years since we last lived together, do you still think Emma is my granddaughter?" Regina asks in a calm voice.

It's actually strange how calm she feels. The magic inside her has subsided and her body isn't tense anymore. Her voice is leveled and she finds herself feeling…empty.

"I – I," Snow tries, but she can't seem to find the words.

Regina doesn't rush her – there's no need anyway.

"But I – you – you killed him and I-" she tries again.

"Yes. I killed your father," Regina says matter-of-factly. "After he killed the last ounce of goodness in me."

A sob escapes Snow and she puts her head in her hands.

Emma squeezes her forearm and, while Regina finds it soothing, she realizes she doesn't really need it. She feels oddly free and that's something she definitely didn't expect to come out of this confession. She shouldn't feel surprised, though. Ever since the blonde standing beside her stepped foot into this town, every day has been a challenge, every day came with a unique twist. Regina still can't fathom how lucky she is that all those days and all those twists led her to this very moment, the moment where she's freely expressing her love for another and letting go of the ghosts of the past. Mysterious ways, most certainly.

After a couple of minutes, Snow regains her composure and looks up at Regina.

"I always – I always thought you were just-" she pauses, looking for the right word.

"Evil?" Regina supplies with a sad smile on her lips. "Oh, I _was_. Make no mistake about it. The Evil Queen will never truly be gone," she says as she opens her palm and a small fireball swirls on her fingers. "But there's two sides to every story," she finishes, making a fist and extinguishing the flames.

She flexes her fingers a couple of times, turns on her heel and walks away. The last thing she sees before she closes the door behind her is Emma's face and she realizes that the blonde's cheeks are wet. It's still hard for her to grasp the concept that someone is crying _for_ her as opposed to _because_ of her. She'll get there, eventually. With the help of her very own personal Savior, she will.

* * *

_A/N: I'm thinking about writing another chapter as an aftermath of the whole confrontation even though I could finish it here. Let me know if you'd like a less angsty, Swan Queeny ending to the story. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Okay, guys, here's chapter 3 for you. I know some of you said you didn't want it, but I felt the need to end on a happier note. Also, Snow is only mentioned in this chapter, it's all about our girls in this one. I hope you enjoy it. :)_

* * *

By the time Emma walks into the imposing white mansion on Mifflin Street, it's already dark outside and a chill has settled firmly in her bones. Whether from the unrelenting November wind or the events of the day, she doesn't know. If it weren't for the light coming out of Regina's study through the slightly ajar door, Emma would be positive the house is deserted. The silence that surrounds her is overwhelming and she makes a bee line to the study in an attempt to escape it.

Walking into the room, her eyes immediately lock on the back of Regina's head. Her lover is sitting comfortably on the sofa, the angle of her head indicating she's reading something. A generous fire is crackling in the fireplace to her right and Emma immediately feels warmth return to both her cold hands and her heart.

"Hey," she says softly as she sits next to Regina. Her eyes travel down to the book the brunette is holding and she realizes it isn't a novel, but a photo album. Henry's photo album.

"Whatcha doin'?" the Sheriff asks, trying hard to mask how nervous she is.

"Hello," Regina says in a barely audible voice, not looking up from the precious album in her hands. She's currently looking at a photo of an 8 year old Henry drawing a picture of a space ship. Emma can't help but smile at the utter look of concentration evident on his face, confirmed by the way his tongue is sticking out of the corner of his small mouth.

"Where is he?" the blonde asks once she realizes the former Mayor won't grace her question with a very obvious answer.

Regina looks up for the first time and locks her eyes with Emma's. Her brows scrunch in confusion.

"Henry," the Sheriff clarifies. "I didn't see the light in his room and I don't hear him stomping around.

Regina lets a small smile decorate her lips. "It's Timothy's birthday. There having a sleepover."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that."

The brunette nods and turns the page. She runs her fingers over several photos of Henry opening presents on a Christmas morning. His hair is ruffled, he's in his pajamas, but excitement is written all across his eyes as he sits in front of a big Christmas tree.

"You okay?" the blonde whispers.

"What do you mean?" Regina answers nonchalantly as she turns another page.

Emma sighs and puts her hand on Regina's, stopping her progress through the album and forcing her to look up and make eye contact.

"You know what I mean," the blonde pauses and looks down. "I'm sorry – I'm sorry she ambushed you like that."

"She didn't ambush me. I knew what it was about the moment I received a phone call from her this morning." Regina says matter-of-factly.

"Huh. I guess I was the only one who didn't see it coming then."

Regina smiles. "Don't tell me that surprises you, dear."

Emma can't help but smile back, relieved to see the other woman is willing to joke, even half-heartedly. "I don't know how she found out," she adds after a moment.

"Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not."

They spend a couple of minutes watching the fire in silence, Emma's hand still cradling Regina's.

"What took you so long?" the brunette asks softly, refusing to look away from the fire.

Emma immediately feels a pang of guilt as she sees the way Regina's shoulders tense. She should have called and told her she would be late. Typical Swan.

"I stayed at the apartment for some time after you left and then Leroy made some trouble at Granny's so I had to go get him," she pauses. "I'm sorry I didn't call you."

She should have known that, despite her confident performance earlier that day, Regina was fine from fine. Emma not calling her and coming home hours later only added to her worries. The Sheriff swears inwardly, realizing that her lover might have come to the conclusion she isn't coming at all.

"How is your mother?" Regina asks after another silent minute.

"She'll live," Emma says, not missing a beat.

And while Snow most certainly will live, the blonde knows it's not as simple as that. The two hours she spent talking – or better yet, _trying_ to talk – to her mother were everything but a walk in the park. The call from Granny's definitely saved her because the blonde isn't sure how much more time she could have spent in the same room with the rattled woman. They didn't make any significant progress, mostly because her mother kept switching between crying and refusing to believe Regina's words. Emma realized she wouldn't be able to convince her so she didn't even try. She just stayed there, trying to soothe her former best friend the best she knew how. To make things better, on her way out of the apartment, she ran into David. She doesn't even want to think about the conversation her parents are having at this exact moment.

Regina can't help but chuckle as she turns to look at Emma. "My, my, if I didn't know better, I'd say my personality is rubbing off on you."

Emma laughs and pulls the other woman into her arms. Placing a chaste kiss on her olive forehead, the Sheriff can't help but sigh in satisfaction. She knows that, whatever happens, this right here isn't going anywhere and that's all that matters.

"I shouldn't have – I shouldn't have done that," the former Mayor says as she pulls back.

"What?" the blonde's brows meet as she looks at the other woman.

"I shouldn't have said those things."

"Hey," Emma says softly. "Hey," she repeats as she touches Regina's chin with her finger, making her look her way. "That's nonsense. It was the right thing to do."

After seeing how Snow reacted today, Emma is absolutely positive she needed to hear all those things. It's mind boggling how a woman who's been through so much in her life, who knows how the world – this or any other – works, would be so blind to things that were happening around her. The Sheriff can't imagine herself living with Regina and Leopold and not noticing what was going on. However, Emma grew up in the _real_ world, one with no fairy godmothers and guaranteed happy endings. This wake up call, while painful, was very much needed and long overdue.

"You know, if you had done this a long time ago, maybe-"

"Maybe I wouldn't have become the Evil Queen?" Regina jumps in and Emma flinches at the way her deep brown eyes are rapidly filling with tears.

"No, no, no!" the blonde hurries. "That's not – that's not what I meant." Once again, typical Swan.

A tear rolls down Regina's cheek and Emma's heart feels like it's going to burst. "I know why you didn't do it. You wanted to protect her," she supplies, putting the photo album away and cradling both Regina's hands in her own.

"Don't make this –" the brunette pauses and shakes her head. "It doesn't erase everything I've done."

"I know it doesn't, Regina," the blonde says softly, wiping away a tear that's rushing towards the former Queen's chin. "But it helps understand."

"You think she'll understand?" Regina chuckles mockingly. "Oh, dear-"

"She doesn't need to," the blonde says. "It doesn't matter. You said it yourself – it's about _us_, not her," she adds in a steady and sure voice.

"You really think so?"

"I _know_ so," Emma corrects. "I don't wanna talk about her anymore and I don't want you to think about her, either. It just doesn't matter."

When Regina looks at her, her eyes are filling with new tears. She looks so small and yet there's hope in her eyes and the sight gives Emma chills. She's positive she doesn't want to see the former Mayor unsure of herself ever again.

"How can you be – how can you just _understand_?" the brunette's voice breaks as the last word leaves her mouth.

At this, Emma smiles. Really smiles. She takes Regina's face in her hands and looks deeply into her bottomless brown eyes. "Because I love you."

With that, she brings her lips to the other woman's and kisses her, softly, slowly. The world around her stops and all she wants to do is show Regina that she's here and she's not going anywhere. Regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, she understands and that's the only thing that matters.

The brunette is the first one to pull back. Once she does, she locks her eyes with Emma's and looks at her in wonder.

"Besides," the blonde starts. "We've been over this a thousand times. What makes you think I'd run away now?"

Even though it's an obvious exaggeration, the blonde is right – this is definitely a conversation they've had many times. It always goes the same; Regina can't believe that Emma truly loves her despite all her flaws and Emma does her best to make her believe it because it is the absolute truth. Looking at her now, the blonde is sure she will be doing the same thing for as long as it needs for her lover to actually accept it.

"I don't know how I deserved this. Actually, I don't think I do," Regina says in a soft voice.

Before her eyes manage to drop to her lap, Emma takes her chin and looks at her with a goofy grin on her lips. "You deserve a lot more, but you're just gonna have to settle with me. What can I say, tough luck."

They just look at each other in silence for a couple of moments, the grin that's still on Emma's face starting to make her feel stupid. Just when she's about to try and change the subject, Regina's face lights up in the most radiant of smiles.

"Yes, indeed," Regina says with a twinkle in her eyes and the blonde lets out a sigh of relief.

She knows this is far from over – there will be more explaining to do, there will be more fights and raised voices, but they'll deal with it together. As she lets her eyes run over the beautiful woman now straddling her lap, she's sure they'll be fine as long as they don't leave each other's side. When Regina's teeth graze a path down the column of her neck, a strangled moan escapes the blonde and she makes a silent promise never to let go. She'll make it a mission to tell this amazing woman just how amazing she is each and every day.

"Where to, my Queen?" Emma says mischievously as she gets up from the sofa, Regina still in her arms.

"My, my, what a strong Knight," Regina teases as she cradles the blonde's face and presses a kiss to her lips. "How about your mother's place?" she says as her eyes gleam with satisfaction.

Emma's laughter fills the room and reverberates all through the large, empty house. Yes, this truly is all that matters and, yes, it's all about them.

* * *

_A/N: Any final reviews will be much appreciated. :) Till next time!_


End file.
